Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The FIRM: Aerobic Body Shaping Review

Firm: Aerobic Body Shaping
Allie Del Rio, 2004

This dvd is from the TransFirmer series; it uses the TransFirmer-a step that can be used as an 8 inch box, 6 inch box, 14 inch box, or on its incline for step aerobics or as a weight bench. The TransFirmer is a great piece of eqiupment-very versatile and fun. The w/o is 50 minutes and the dvd has an 8 minute lower body bonus w/o that Aliie also leads.


The set is bright and white. Allie leads with 4 background Firm ladies; Alison provides the beginner modificaions. Allie cues very well in this, and no babytalk. This workout has enough strength work to be used as a strength workout but also has some nice cardio intervals that will burn some calories and bring on a good sweat. A lot of the lower body work will also get your heartrate up.

She covers every body part and really utlizes the TransFirmer on the incline alot. some of the strength moves include hover squats/ bicep curl combo, side lunges onto the incline, 2 sets of leg press, lat rows, clean and press, dips, pec flys, bridge work using the TF, floor ab work, lunges onto the incline, and lat raises.

Some of the cardio intervals are done on the incline step and include step around and tap, straddle step, and turn step. Some of the cardio is done on the floor and includes bunny hops, mambo, kicks, marching in place, etc. The cardio is SUPER basic-even for Firms. Nothing too exciting on the cardio front in this one.

I would consider this an intermediate w/o. Add some plyos and heavy up and you can easily get a more advanced AWT (aerobic weight training) w/o out of it IMO. You can also follow Alison and take it down a notch

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Amy Bento's All Cardio Hi-Lo Knockout Review



This is an 85 min (with multiple shorter premixes and its very well chaptered) hi lo and kickboxing w/o led by Amy Bento with 2 background exercisers. The set is bright and open. You will need one set of lighter dumbbells for the ab section. I usually dont notice the music unless its really good-and this is! Very upbeat, recent songs that I recognized-made me want to get & keep moving!

The dvd has some (I think 3)  hi lo "combos"  The cardio is nonstop heartpumping and will keep you moving! The choreo is more advanced than I usually go for but its not truely advanced choreo. Amy combines some classic floor aerobics (grapevine, repeater knees, kick ball change) into unique combinations. Her cueing is very good or I wouldnt have been able to follow (I am choreo challenged as many of you know). She teaches you a move and then builds on it. Then you go through the entire combo a few times. Its not repetitive or boring because you have to pay attention to the moves to get them right. I did combo one twice and had it down 100% by the 2nd go through.

There are 4 kickboxing "knock-out" segments. These are shorter than the cardio combos but also more intense! These kickboxing combos are not as choreographed as the cardio segments -I followed along very well. She combines classic kickboxing moves (cross punch, side kick, front kick, speed bag) with some tough cardio (squat thrust variation, fast feet, jump rope, plyo jumps) to really get your heart rate up without a ton of impact.

The ab section is awesome! First you do some standing ab & oblique work with a dumbell. Then you go down to the floor for a Turkish get up variation (with a dumbbell), and some weighted crunch varations.

This dvd is really a few different workouts because of the premixes included. You can do all "combos," you can do all "knock outs," or a combination of both. I did combo 1 twice, drills 1-3, and then the weighted core segment for a 50 min sweatfest! I really enjoyed this workout and will definatly use it again. There really are so many options of how you can use it.

Because of the choreo and the nonstop high intensity I will go ahead and say this is an advanced workout. It was definately intense and a real calorie burner but I dont think I went anarobic. If you are good at moderate choreo and like kickboxing and/or cardio I would say this is the workout for you! Its got 85 minutes of footage on it! Quite a bargain IMO!


Monday, March 29, 2010

Custom Fit Interactive Training Review


Custom Fit Interactive Training
David Snively, 2005

This dvd is comprised of segments from the Carribean Workouts TV show when David Snively was the lead. The dvd is fully customizable and allows you to choose from 12 twenty minute segments to customize your own 20, 40, or 60 minute workout or you can choose one of the premade options on the dvd. The cover boasts "over 1800 workout combinations"

David is leading the w/o's with the same 2 background girls. They all seem to be having a great time exercising on the beach or poolside in "beatiful Barbados". The scenery is beautiful. They use a variety of equipment: mini trampoline, tubing, dumbbells, stability ball, step, balance disc, etc. but they typically have a modifier that isnt using equpiment. The dvd really provides a ton of options.

There are four cardio segments: "Hi lo aerobics" (floor aerobics). "Sep training interval"- uses the step and includes high intensity bursts. "Cardio rhythm" is a dancier floor aerobic routine, and "mini trampoline" is a high intensity rebounding workout.

There are two bootcamp segments: "stability ball bootcamp" that uses the ball no dumbbells but does include body wieght exercises. And "medicine ball boot camp"-uses the med ball and is more cardio than strength work. I really like the med ball w/o.

There are three mind/boy segments: "pilates mat"-floor & standing pilates work. The background girls do the moves and David walks around w/ nice form pointers. "stability ball yoga" has some challenging ball moves but they do show a modifier. And "Power yoga" is a similar format to pilates mat.
There are 3 strength segments: "Step strength" that uses a body bar and a step bench. "Tubing strength" uses tubing a 2 balance discs in part of it. "Stability Ball Strength" uses dumbbells and a ball.

The w/o's are high energy and quick moving. I would say these are high intermediate w/o's. They are fun and upbeat. Davids cueing is very good. He seems a little cocky for some reason, but that could just be my impression LOL-but I still like him as a lead. I like that he walks around w/ form pointers in the mind/body segments.

DVD GIVEAWAY: Stephanie Vitorino: The Ultimate Body Shaper

This giveaway is now over! I will announce the winner shortly...good luck everyone :) And stay tuned for next weeks giveaway!!!

I'm starting this week's giveaway today! The new Ultimate Body Shaper. I couldn't wait to try Stephanie Vitorino's new workout so I did it this morning and LOVED it! It is right up my ally-strength work + cardio, burning calories while building muscles. Also, one of my fav background exercises-Madison is in this one :) And I have to point out-how fab Stephanie looks-she has the perfect fit figure. What a lovely physique!

What I LOVED about the emails from Stephanie was how down to earth she is! How I would love to have a PT session with her. Here is a snippet from her email "I also struggled with weight issues and can empathize with the struggle of making the right choices, but once you realize that it is exactly that, a choice, you can gain control." Knowing that someone as fit as her once struggled with her weight - I am even MORE motivated by her now! Love her last sentence there-I couldnt agree more-its a choice we all have to make!

To Enter This Giveaway:
-Leave me a comment in this post about what appeals about this w/o to you (review below).
-For an additional entry check out the 3 links above and tell me what they are in a comment below.
-For another additional entry re-blog about this giveaway and be sure to leave the link below :)

Review: Stephanie Vitorino: The Ultimate Body Shaper, 2009***** (5 of 5 stars)

This dvd has two 30 minute AWT (aerobic body shaping) workouts, a seperate 5 min warmup and 6 min cooldown, plus a bonus 6 minute ab workout. Stephanie works out with 2 background exercisers in a nice open room with hardwood floors and her V Body logo in the background. There is a small countdown timer in the corner. One workout is a high step and one is a mat (mostly standing strength with some intensity bursts). You will need a high step or fanny lifter and 2 sets (or more) of dumbbells for this w/o.

This workout is, what the Pink Firms should be IMO. It has enough strength work to count as a strength day but it gets & keeps your heartrate up with cardio bursts & intensity intervals. Fun, effective, NO dread factor but still a booty kicking workout!! I will definately be buying myself a copy of this one.

The 1st workout is 30 minutes of nonstop strength + cardio work using the tall step and dumbbells. There are a lot of moves that use multiple muscle groups-they are all paired nicely so the poundage works for all components of each move. She does some straight cardio (high knees jumprope, etc.) and a lot of the strength work will get your heart pumping as well- squatting off the high step while doing a frontal shoulder raise, tricep dips off the box, a back V raise, etc.

The 2nd workout is a "mat" workout. Its a strength workout with 1 min intesity intervals throughout. She incorporates a lot of core and balance work in a lot of the exercises. A side raise while in tree pose, a twist while holding the dumbbell, squatting low holding the head of a dumbbell, a "toss the laundry bag over the shoulder" type move, a TOUGH roll back and then jump up move, and ends with a few minutes of lying ab/ chest work.

The ab workout is 8 of Stephanies favorite core moves and includes crunch, plank, and spinal work variations. Stephanie works out alone in this segment.

There were a lot of unique moves in this that were fresh and not at all awkward like some "new & exciting" exercises can be. She really packs a lot into each of these 30 minute workouts and the pace is right on-no wasted time but I didnt feel at all rushed or frenzied. I also like that the w/u and c/d are seperate as I usually do my own and skip those anyways.

This is a high intermediate that you can make a bit tougher by modifying. I would say an intermediate would be able to do this but its not a beginners workout. Stephanie is a wonderful lead! She is very motivating and has great form pointers & reminders throughout. There is even the *cutest* feature on this dvd-a miniature Stephanie runs across the bottom of the screen from time to time (only 4-5 X total) with a pointer or form reminder! Its not distracting AT ALL! You do have the option to turn it off if you choose though.

Fine Print:
-I will announce the winner Thursday morning (chosen using random.org) April 1 and will accept entries until that point. Be sure to check back and see if you are the winner!!!!!

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Friday, March 26, 2010

Cindy Whitmarsh's UltraFit DVD Review

UltraFit
Cindy Whitmarsh

This workout was originally named Ultra Fit and came with a book (Ive read it, its good!). Then Natural Journey put it out under the name: Ultra Fat Burning Workout.

Cindy leads the workout with 4 other exercisers. Cindy and another lady show advanced options, 1 exerciser shows beginner, and 1 intermediate. They use a 4# med ball, dumbbells, jumprope, and a stability ball. Someone shows the moves using no props, or they suggest an alternative. They are working out on a back patio outside. Its a very nice set. The workout is divided up into segments w/ a screen that comes up introducing the next segment. The dvd is chaptered.

Warmup Stretch: some cardio moves and some stretching get you started.

Cardio: First is various jump rope moves for one minute. She does some fancy stuff but says to do whatever you want. One guy doesnt use a rope at all. Then they pick up their medballs and do a jack while throwing the ball overhead, side to side squat, jump back and forth over the jumprope. She repeats the sequence a few times.

Shoulder Weights: Using dumbbells they do upright rows, overhead pulse, lateral raises and rotator cuffs. Repeat a few times.

Cardio: Blowouts (burpees), they jump back and forth with a med ball between their knees, quick feet, etc. Repeat a few times.

Biceps: With dumbbells, alternating bicep curls, both weights in one hand concentration curls, etc. Repeat a few times.

Cardio Toning: repeater legs to the side and back, flunges (scissor jumps), pushups, Mt. climbers, shuffle squats while putting down and picking up med ball , ab twists while holding med ball, side lunge-leg lifts. Repeat a few times.

Toning: All on the stability ball: (one modifier does the moves on the floor) frog leg lifts, flutter legs, shins on the ball-pulling legs in, crunches w/ med ball on chest, twists, dips off the ball with the med ball between knees (one modifier uses a stair, one on the floor), tricep extensions w/ the med ball. Then there are some side reaches not on the ball.

Cool Down Stretch: led by someone else.

Some of these cardio moves (jumprope, blowouts, plyos, explosive jumps) are advanced for sure! I really got my HR up and I was a sweaty mess by the end. You could definately heavy up on the dumbbells and used a heavier med ball for the toning moves (I used an 8# ball). The toning segments arent all that long though and there isnt a lot of weighted lower body work. I really like this workout, again Im seeing unique and fun moves without complicated choreo. Loving the calorie burn on this one! Cindy is an excellent lead. I like her demeanor and her cueing is spot on!

And the winner of Jessica Smith's New 10 MIn Sol Bootcamp W/O is....

... Ry and Ally! Congratulations! Please email me your mailing address and I will ship it out ASAP! I hope you enjoy your new workout. lindseylu8 (at) netzero (dot) net (and leave a comment here so I know to check that email TIA)



If anyone wants more info about this dvd or other of Jessicas workouts check out these links:
-Jessicas Website & Store
-Jessicas Facebook Page
-Jessica's Living Thin Website (lots of good info here!)
-Living Thin on Facebook

I will be doing another fitness dvd giveaway next week so stay tuned :)

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

Amy Bento's A Team Bootcamp Review


A Team Bootcamp
Amy Bento, 2006 

This is a 50/50 cardio strength workout led by Amy Bento. She is working out in a nice pale yellow room with 3 background exercisers. The workout is divided up into six "drills" each drill has 2 minutes of TOUGH cardio followed by a short recovery period, and then 2 one minute strenght moves. For this workout you will need various dumbbells, a step bench, a stability ball, resistance tubing (could easily sub dumbbells), and they use a barbell (I just used heavy dumbbells).


The cardio is TOUGH and its a nonstop two minutes. She does flying cutsey lunges -touching the floor w/ your hand, a "river dance" move (jumping up and criscrossing your legs), jumping onto and off of the step, and other explosive anaerobic cardio moves. The good news is she gives you a recovery phase after the 2 minutes of cardio-side steps usually.

The cardio moves were UNIQUE, fun, and did I mention tough. There is nothing dancy or hard to follow. They are straight forward athletic (bootcamp-esque) cardio moves.

The strength work was also unique and effective! She thoroughly hits the legs & buns with a squat while kindof bouncing on the ball, a 1 legged deadlift, a unique lunge move while moving the dumbbell around your knee, etc., She does a side plank with your feet on the step, and nice standing ab work in addition to some upper work. I enjoyed the strength moves as well. She does incorporate stretching throughout the dvd after each strength segment.

This workout is clearly advanced in cardio and stregth work but like I said there is recovery & stretching time so I didnt feel like I was going to die or anything. LOVE this workout!!!! I would say this a must have for an Amy fan or a bootcamp fan. AWESOME and unique. Tough but still fun! Her cueing is spot on, I was never left wondering what to do and she has poundage rec's throughout. (happy to say I matched her poundage!)

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The FIRM: Express Cardio Review

The FIRM: Express Cardio
Stephanie Huckabee, 2004 

This was released with the Firm Box (aka death box) system so it uses an incline step. Its a 30 minute mostly cardio workout. In addition to the incline box you will need a light set of dumbbells. Stephanie leads with 4 background exercisers with Libby showing the beginner modifications. The set is slightly dim but not too dark.

Stephanie is a fantastic lead so you cant go wrong with this workout. It is a very typical Firm cardio workout. Mostly cardio, but some light strength work-dips, squats, leg press, bicep curls while keeping your heartrate up. None of the moves are truely unique to this workout but it is put together well and Stephanie cues wonderfully. There are no dancy moves or tricky choreo in this one.

IMO this workout is mostly step work, on the 6 inch (you can up it to the 8 in if using the TF), and on the incline. She also does a routine or two of floor cardio-tri-star, shuffling, grapevine, etc. Ther is also a nice set of tall box climb with light weights and a quick set of light weight leg press. She also does some of the cardio routines with light weights, so fast 4 limb work is I guess what they call it.

I would rate this a solid to maybe high intermediate workout done as is. WIth all Firms you can easily modify them up or down to suit your needs. Its a fun workout and you can work up quite the sweat in only 30 minutes. It definatley has a place in my collection and I use it frequently.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Jessica Smith's 10 Minute Solution Ultimate Bootcamp Review


10 Minute Solutions Ultimate Bootcamp Review:
Jessica Smith, 2010 ***** (5 of 5 stars)

This is a bootcamp-esque dvd by 10 Minute Solutions, led by Jessica Smith, who works out alone in a nice wide open set. This dvd includes cardio and strength moves. There are five 10 minute segments that you can use individually or mix and match to create a 10-50+ minute workout. You will need a few sets of dumbbells for some of the segments.

I did all 5 segments this morning and got a great cardio and a great stength workout! The segments go by FAST and each segment got/kept my heartrate up. Jessica does an awesome job leading and all the moves have a fresh & unique feel to them without being complicated or confusing. I felt my muscles being worked in a different way than traditional strength training moves. She adds in agility moves and balance work as well. There is a definate functional feel but you are able to heavy up-the best of both worlds.

FAT FIGHTING SKILLS & DRILLS: is a fun and unique cardio workout that really got my heartrate up and got me sweating from the get go-jumping jacks, squat thrust variations, "mud crawling." The moves are all athletic and straightforward with a definate bootcamp feel to them. Loved this section-no wasted time. 10 minutes WELL spent.

ULTIMATE UPPER BODY TRAINING: Includes some cardio and explosive moves to keep your heartrate up. I used a few dif sets of dumbbells. The moves were unique and had a functional feel to them, wood chopping, sand bag carrying, pushup and walking plank variations, Mt. climbers, etc. My UB will feel this tomorrow. My core was working in many of the moves-nice bonus.

ULTIMATE LOWER BODY TRAINING: This segment is unweighted but there are enough reps and she goes low into them so I didnt even use dumbbells though you could if you felt the need. There are some jumping squats and plyo lunges that will get your heartrate up and my legs were burning by the end of the 10 minutes. She also incorporates some balance work and bun squeezes. This segment is all done standing.

ULTIMATE TOTAL BODY TRAINING: This segment is full body strength work using a heavy pair of dumbbells. My heartrate was up the entire time and there are some straight cardio & agility moves as well. Again, there were some unique moves in here. A squat with a bicep curl into an overhead press, an explosive front raise into an overhead tricept extension, & pushups.

SIX PACK AB ATTACK: starts with some standing ab work and then goes down to the floor for crawling planks, plank twists, side planks, crunch variations, and sit up variations. My abs were fried by the end of this. Unique and fun and kept in the boocamp spirit.

I would rate this a high intermediate AWT (aerobic weight training) workout. I love workouts that provide enough strength work to count as a strength day but burn enough calories to count as a cardio day-this dvd did just that! This dvd is an excellent addition to my (large) workout collection. I love bootcamp workouts and have many of them but this one really is unique! I see myself reaching for this often as a whole or in pieces. There is really no wasted time here! I received this dvd to review

Review: 10 Minute Solutions Knockout Body Featuring Jessica Smith


Jessica Smith, 2009

This dvd has 5 ten minute segments and includes a pair of pink weighted gloves. The gloves are 12 oz. The gloves are adjustable and fit fairly well. They shift a tiny bit while working out, but not a big deal. Jessica is an excellent lead-she cues very well and has a pleasant demeanor. All the segments have a lot of "new" unique moves and are a lot of fun. I am liking the newer 10 Min Sol alot more than the older ones! The dvd is fully customizable and you can mix & match to create your own workout.

The first segment is: Knockout Body Blast and is a combination of cardio and strength. It includes bob and weaves with punches, a (mock) jump roping segment, jack-X-punch combo, kicks with a squat, and some punch kick combos.

Fat Attack: it is the most cardio of all the segments. There are alot of lateral movements-bob and weave, side step, etc. She does a jack punch combo, and a punch kick combo.

Fierce & Fabulous Abs: This segment is 1/2 standing and 1/2 floor ab work. The standing work includes twisting, balance work and kneep pulls and is alot of fun! The floor work includes a V sit with a punch, a unique plank -turkish getup variation set, balance work, crunches, and spinal extension work.

Ultimate Upper Body: Obviously has a lot of punches. I like this as a nice addon to another upper body workout. She does some pushups and back flys. There is some cardio in here as well.

Kickbox Crosstrain: Includes a punch & squat combo, squat with overhead tricep extension, a balance move where you lift your leg and twist in (hitting the abs and hips), a balance tap move, and some kick sqats. This one seems to target the lower body.

I would rate all these as intermediate. She does do at least one round of the routines slow at first which does allow the heartrate to drop a bit, but once you get the hang of it you can go at a faster pace throughout. I like this one and it was def worth getting (even though I already had a pair of weighted gloves LOL). Good price for the dvds & gloves anyway.


Monday, March 22, 2010

DVD Buying Tutorial

I got a great question from Bee the other day asking about dvd buying. SO I thought a quick tutorial would be nice :) You all know Im cheap so I am fond of my bargains...

And on a side note-about my reviews: You may notice MOST of them are positive and this is why: 1)I have been doing exercise dvds for some time now and I pretty much know what I like and therefore don't end up w/ losers too often. 2) Im frugal so I don't buy unless I'm pretty sure I'm going to like it. 3) I do a lot of research up front, read reviews, etc. to make sure the dvd looks like a good fit for me. 4) when I get something I dont like, I usually dont make it through the whole w/o, so I cant necessarily write a review for it.

Websites to purchase dvds:
totalfitnessdvds.com: This is an AWESOME webiste-has nice long clips and reviews of w/o's. Super fast shipping, great prices, and EXCELLENT customer service. Use the code 10off to get 10% off a $20+ purchase. Free shipping on ALL US orders over $19.00. I made a mistake on an order once and Mary (the owner) was more than gracious and helped me fix the order. Her prices are awesome and she runs weekly sales and posts twitter specials as well.

collagevideo.com: Great website, clips, reviews, & discussion boards. The w/o's are actually done by their staff and they always have accurate info. Now offers weekly sales, and free shipping on orders over $25. I've always had positive experiences ordering from Collage. And check out their success stories here for some motivation!

deepdiscount.com: always free shipping, typically low prices. I have always had good experiences ordering from them. Shipping speed can be hit or miss. Sometimes its fast, others not so much. They offer bi-annual sales and everything goes 20-25% off. Also offeres non-exercise dvds.

amazon.com: we all know about amazon. You can get good prices from the marketplace sellers on used dvds. Amazon is probably my most used dvd resource as the prices are typically lowest and I dont mind used merchandise. There are customer reviews on most products. You can get good prices on pre-orders. Jessica Smith is collaborating w/ Wii & 10 Min Solutions for this new fitness game-cant wait to try it out!

ebay.com: I used to buy from Ebay, and still will on a very very rare occasion IF I cant find it anywhere else. The prices are typically higher than other webistes IMO.

yaya's: You have to be a registered member to post. You can pick up some GREAT bargains here. Basically members of this fitness discussion board post dvds they want to sell/ buy/ or swap. I have always had positive experiences here.

Websites you can trade/ swap dvds:
swapadvd.com: this website is AWESOME! You can swap exercise & nonexercise dvds w/ other members. The cool thing here is you dont do a direct swap w/ another member. You post your dvds, a member requests it, you send it to them and receive a credit. You can then use that credit to "buy" a dvd from any other member. I have always had good experiences here as well. You might have to wait (& wait) for items on your wishlist but sometimes they come up quickly. You can also look through their database & see whats available right now. This is a good place to trade/ get your not-as-popular items.

yayas: buy/ sell/ trade here. See above.

videofitness.com: you cant buy or sell here but you can trade directly with other members. These are straight across trades so you do have to have an item on a members wishlist if you want something of theirs. I have never had a bad trading experience here. You have to be a registered member to view the lists. There is also a monthly "share the wealth" thread where you can pickup (or list dvds to giveaway) for only the cost of postage. Sometimes the members will even mail them for free. VF also has a great (fitness only) general discussion board. LOTS of good info there.

Websites to read reviews:
totalfitnessdvds.com has reviews at the bottom of each product
videofitness.com
collagevideo.com has reviews at the bottom of each product
amazon.com: listed after the product description in each items listing.
viewpoints.com: this website has reviews of all sorts of things in addition to fitness dvds & equpiment.
my blog: teehee!

I hope this was helpful for everyone! There are a lot of other places you can purchase dvds, but these are my "go to" sources.

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10 Minute Solution: Hot Body Bootcamp Review

Amy Bento, 2008 

This is a bootcamp type workout from 10 Minute Solutions led by Amy Bento. There are no background exercisers and the set is a nice open room. As with all 10 Minute Solution workouts the dvds are fully customizable so you can mix and match to create a 10 - 50+ minute workout. There are 5 ten minute segments and each segment has a very brief warmup and cooldown.

Hotbody Cardio: packs a punch! The cardio is new and fresh and Amy keeps it interesting; the time flies by! Some of the exercises include: a squat thrust variation, jump rope, hopping over "barb wire," shuffle, squat jump, and other heartpumping moves. No equipment required.

Ab Assault: an effective way to spend 10 minutes on your abs! The 1st half is standing ab work and includes circling your dumbbell while standing on 1 leg, a side bend holding "sand bags" (actually your dumbbells), a dumbbell side punch move, etc. Then you move to the floor and do a walking plank variation, and some V sits, etc. You need a lighter set of dumbbells (I used my 8# dumbbells).

Rock Bottom Sculpt: You do a figure 8, passing the dumbbell between he legs with a side lunge move, some mountain climbers with a dumbbell lift, bridge, donkey kicks, and a roll over-bun squeeze move. You will need a set of heavier dumbbells.

Calorie Blasting Drills: could definitely be used as an upper body workout. There are a lot of upper body dumbbell exercises, including bi's, tri's, shoulder presses, etc. There is only 1 lower body squat that is combined with an upright row. This segment includes a fair amount of cardio and I would consider it an aerobic weight segment. Dumbbells required.

Better Body Stretch: is a really good thorough 10 minute stretch that uses a towel. I used a stretchy band and it worked very well. The towel really does add to the stretch and makes it more effective. I usually skip the stretches on dvds (and just do my own stretch routine) but this one is really worth doing.

I really really like this workout! I was not impressed with the earlier 10 Minute Solution workouts but the more recent ones are much more challenging, the warmups & cooldowns are shorter, and the instructors are getting better and better. Amy is a great lead-very motivating and has a great personality-not overly cheerful but happy and pleasant. There are "bootcamp" moves and my heartrate really gets up in the cardio & drills segment, and also the lower body segment. The exercises are unique, fun, and effective. I would rate this a high intermediate workout.



Today's LOL: These are my own personal LOLs (yes my cat is fat)

Friday, March 19, 2010

Exercise TV Ultimate Body: Total Body Toning Review with Cindy Whitmarsh

Exercise TV: Ultimate Body, Total Body Toning 
Cindy Whitmarsh, Marco Reed, Stephanie Vitorino, Meredith Miller, 2009

This dvd has two 20 minute workouts, two 10 minute workouts, and five 1-2 minute workouts. It is mostly toning but Marco's segment includes some cardio. The instructors work out alone in a nice open bright white set with the Exercise TV logo in the background. There is a small countdown timer in the upper corner of the screen. For this workout you will only need dumbbells. They only use one set but I use multiple so I can most effectively work each muscle.

The first workout is a 20 min upper body workout led by Cindy. Its all dumbbell strength work. She hits every upper body muscle and the abs. The first part is all done standing and then she goes to the floor for some planks, pushups, and triceps dips. Its a fun and effective 20 min upper body and core workout. I will definitely be doing this segment often. Cindy is a great instructor, good cueing, and very encouraging.

The 2nd workout is a 20 min total body + cardio workout (not upper body cardio like the cover says). Marco is a good lead, good form pointers and motivating. He does some explosive moves and a lot of the lower body work gets your heartrate up so I was sweating in this one! There is some impact in this but I really enjoyed his combos and unique moves. There are standing lunges and jump squats w/ a dumbell, and an explosive pushup move to name a few.

Stephanie Vitorino leads a 10 minute unweighted lower body workout. You could easily add dumbbells to this workout but I actually didnt. My lower body was still a bit sore from the other day and I used heavy dumbbells in Marcos segment so for me, going deep into the moves (side & front lunges, squats, toe tap variations) was enough for me. After the standing segment she does some floor work including some bridges. I like Stephanie and am so glad she started leading workouts! She has been a background exerciser in a lot of workouts and now she shines as a lead.

I didnt do the 10 minute ab section with Meredith this AM. I have done it before and its boring and grueling IMO. She does a countdown with sit ups-7, then 6, then 5, etc. Its just too much for me. She seems like a great lead but I am not into doing situps and crunches for 10 minutes. Ouch.

I would rate this workout a higher intermediate. They get straight to business in each segment and there is very little (if any) wasted time. I am loving the Ultimate Body Series dvds from Exercise TV. They are great to use as add-ons or do the entire dvd for a 60 minute workout.

And the Winner is.........

I used a random number generator to select a winner for my homemade card giveaway last night and the winner is...........Learning to be Less!!! Congrats :) Please send me your mailing address lindseylu8 (at) netzero (dot) net and I will get those out asap! Congrats to you!!!!

And everyone keep your eye out I have some AWESOME fitness dvd giveaways coming soon!

 ( Custom cakes by Lindsey LuPhoenix custom cakesSpecialty Cakes PhoenixArizona custom specialty cakesSpecialty cupcakes phoenixCustom Phoenix cupcakes  Phoenix wedding cakes Phoenix birthday cakesspecialty birthday cakes phoenix)

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Prevention: Drop It In 30 Review with Chris Freytag

Prevention- Drop It in 30
Chris Freytag, 2006

This dvd has two 20 minute cardio workouts on it. Both workouts are led by Chris with 2 background exercisers, one shows the beginner/ low impact modifications. The set is bright and open with colored glass in the background. You wont need any equipment for this workout. There is also a seperate warmup, cooldown, and some bonus tips in another section.

The first workout "Fat Burning" is pretty good and the choreo is pretty simple. She says she starts with a funcitonal (basic cardio move) and then adds a dance flair. That turned me off at first, but its really not dancy. A fitness dance lover would probably be dissapointed but being a non dancer I was happy that the moves were basically a basic cardio move w/ a bit of flair added to them. If you are not a fan of TIFTing (take it from the top), you may not like this. She does a move, adds a move, repeat, add, repeat, etc. I am not a TIFTer but this one flowed well and was fine and not overly repetitive IMO.

The second workout "Metabolism Booster" was more my cup of tea-athletic moves with higher intensity intervals mixed in. She does a lot of sporty moves (soccer kicks, shooting the basketball, etc) then adds in the higher intensity bursts (shuffling back and forth, fast feet, jump rope, etc). I really like this workout and worked up a nice sweat and certainly burned some calories here. I did add in a lot more arm movements & wore weighted gloves but with those mod's I got a GREAT workout!

These workouts adapt well to the rebounder (metabolism booster in particular), and are easy to modify up (or down) to suit your needs. If you are on the lookout for a short cardio workout-this is a good choice. Chris is a good lead, maybe a bit too smiley, but otherwise good and cues well. Simple choreo but not boring. Good vareity in a short amount of time. I did not receive this DVD to review.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Exercise TV Ultimate Body Series: Lose Weight Fast Review

Exercise TV: Ultimate Body Series, Lose Weight Fast
Stephanie Vitarino, Steve Marisco, Michael Carson, 2009

This dvd has three 20 minute functional strength workouts on it and five 1-2 minute bonus workouts. You will only dumbbells for this workout. One of the bonus w/o's does use a stability ball and one uses a small med ball but thats about 3 minutes total so not required IMO. The set is a nice open room with the Exercise TV logo in the background. The instructors work out alone and there is a small countdown banner in the upper corner of the screen.

The first 20 minute workout is led by Michael Carson and is similar to his other Ex TV w/o's but uses light dumbbells instead of a ball. He is very core focused but you will work the entire body in this one. Lots of functional moves like bending, twisting and chopping. I really enjoy Michael as a lead and this is 20 minutes well spent. You will work your muscles and get your heartrate up without a lot of impact.

The next 20 minutes is from Steve Marisco-while I like exercises in this segment, I dont particularly care for Steve. He seems friendly enough and he cues well but something about him screams "childrens show host" Like Peewee Herman or something. So hes kindof annoying for whatever reason but the workout is solid and the exercises he incorportates flow well together and are unique & functional.

The last segment is from Stephanie Vitarino-who I really like as a lead. She does 10 different sets of multi muscle exercises and keeps it interesting and the workout goes by really quickly. I enjoy her as a lead and all the moves had a new "fresh" feel to them. I will def be checking out her new workouts!

I like this dvd and its definatley unique and has a place in my rotation. Its not a fav as a whole, but its nice to pick up from time to time. I would rate this solid/ maybe even higher intermediate if you use the max poundage you can handle w/ good form for all the moves. Its not heavy sculpting by any means but you wil work your muscles and get your heartrate up. The time goes by very quickly

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The FIRM: Super Cardio Mix Review

The FIRM: Super Cardio Mix 
Allie Del Rio, Jen Carman, Carissa Foster, Dale Brabham, 1999

This is a 63 minute ALL cardio workout by the Firm. The set is the old Firm set with a lot of background exercisers. All four leads have their own little segments-about 15 minutes each. The dvd is well chaptered so you can fast forward to skip segments if you choose. This is all original footage! The last segment everyone is wearing different outfits but it isnt a parts video. For this dvd you will need a weighted ball (I uses a 5# ball), a set of light dumbbells, and a step or short box.

This is actually 60 minutes of straight cardio! No barbell work, no ab work, no sculpting! Some of the sections are more challenging than others but really, in 60 minutes of cardio you are going to burn some calories and work up a nice sweat! I really really enjoy this w/o! The music is super upbeat and motivating and all the leads do an excellent job-their cueing is spot on and they all have a good energy about them in this one that really makes you want to keep moving. This is a must have for all Firmees IMO!

The cardio work includes: step aerobics, 4 limb work, high impact floor cardio, low impact floor cardio, and cardio with the ball. Jens section is the best IMO, super fun and great combos. But hers is at the end and by that point Im usually a bit tired out. I would prefer hers at the beginning so I could truly enjoy it!

I would rate this a lower advanced workout partly just due to the length of this sucker-60 minutes of nonstop cardio! Like I said, some of the segments arent as challenging but most of them will really get your heartrate up!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Exercise TV: (Ultimate Body Series) Slim Down Fast Review


Exercise TV: (Ultimate Body Series) Slim Down Fast
Cindy Whitmarsh, Jessica Smith, Michael Carson, 2008 


I did all 3 20 min w/o's this morning. I ABSOLUTELY loved all of them!!! All 3 are cardio/strength intervals. There is a small countdown timer at the top of the screen that counts down the 20 or so minutes for each w/o. My only complaint about the dumbbell w/o's is they only use 1 set of weigths. I really like the old Firm style of light, med, heavy but I figured it out. The dvds do allow you to "play all" but this is play all 3 20 minute segments or play all 5 2 minute segments. Only in the order they are presented-there is no mix & match option.

Cindys is first and if you are a fan of Cindy's w/o's you wont be dissapointed-this keeps in her norm of rotating between athletic cardio & (dumbbell) strength moves. In the cardio she shows a lower impact version in the middle of the segment-not at the beginning of the move. More cardio than strength IMO. Theres a lunge sequence, cardio ski moves, no ab work.

Jessica Smith does the next segment. This one is just about 1 min strength/ 1 min cardio. The cardio is super basic and just enough the get/keep your heartrate up between the strength moves. There are jumping jacks, Mt. climbers, ab work, squats w/ overhead press, etc.

I think Michael Carson's was the most challenging and it was very unique. He uses a med ball-he says 2 lbs or less but I used my 8# Firm med ball and was fine. I was sweating  and my heart rate really got up there in this section! This had (to me) a functional feel. It was pretty low impact but very intense-which is always a bonus for the joints. You swing the med ball around to work your core, squat while twisting, hooks w/ the ball, ab work with and w/out the ball. Very core-centric.

I did a few of the 2 minute "bonus" segments. Cindy's lower body w/o is unweighted bridge work, Jessica's tank top arms is bicep, shoulder, tricep dumbbell work. Jessica has a quick 2 min cardio segment. And there are 2 more I didnt get to do that Michael leads.

Overall I felt like this was a great w/o! Probably a bit more cardio than strength but still some good strength work. I would rate this maybe a little more intense than Cindy's Results w/o because they dont do the low impact and then lead into the high impact. Overall high intermediate probably.


Friday, March 12, 2010

The FIRM - Cardio Sculpting Balls: Cardio Core Fusion Review


The FIRM - Cardio Sculpting Balls: Cardio Core FusionRebekah Sturkie, 2007

This is a 55 minute mostly cardio workout led by Rebekah with 4 background exercisers. Emily shows the beginner modifications. The set is the white room with the (fake) city view windows. For this workout you will need the 2 two pound sculpting balls that come with the dvd. The dvd has 2 shorter premixes on it; a 30 minute all sculpting workout, and a 30 minute core cardio workout.

This workout really has a functional feel to it. Its obviously not heavy (or even close) sculpting BUT you can get some lower body, body weight work in. There are a fair amount of lunges and dips so if you really go deep into the move you can feel it. The upper body really cant be worked w/ the 2 lb balls because there really arent enough reps. You could easily use dumbbells for the majority of this workout if you wanted to up the strength work. I actually used heavy dumbbells in the last strength set (the one with the "X marks the spot move").

The cardio work is solid in this w/o! Especially if you add in plyos & do all the advanced moves throughout the dvd. She does some squat thrusts, a side jump, soccer drills w/ the balls on the ground. Lots of good stuff here.

There is a lot of core/ ab work in this one. Some crunches but a lot of standing ab work. She includes lower back work too which is always nice IMO. Lots of functional moves like picking up the ball off the floor.

I would rate this a higher intermediate with the option to up or down the intensity if you want. I really like the workout. Its fun and unique and def worth picking up. You can use the balls in other workouts as "boosters" and get use out of them too. Rebekah is a good lead and cues well. All the moves are athletic-nothing dancy or complicated.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

FitPrime Fast Cheetah Review


FitPrime Fast Cheetah
Tracie Long, 2003


This is a 55 minute mainly cardio workout led by Tracie Long, who works out alone on a small set that is kindof a "mini Firm mansion set" - lace curtains, art work, oriental rugs. For this w/o you will need a weighted ball (med ball), a set of light dumbbells, a tall box, and ankle weights. The dvd (like all FitPrimes) is chaptered very well so you can easily skip certains moves if you choose to.


I like this dvd but I dont love this dvd. Its not super challenging but it does find an occasional place in my rotation. Its a good alternative to a walking dvd IMO. It will get your heart rate up but its not a super challenging sweat fest. I also like that it includes a LOT of balance work-probably my weakest point fitness wise.


The cardio segments include a ball toss, a mock basketball shooting move, some light 4-limb cardio work, tall box climbs, handstands on the box, floor cardio-one is kickboxing inspired, and the likes thereof.


At the end she does some spinal erector work, ab work, and some floor work with ankle weights. I honestly usually skip the leg work since I use this a cardio workout.

I would rate this workout a low intermediate. The cardio is athletic and straightforward. No tricky choreo, and not super intense. Some of the balance work could be tough for newbies but even I could do it w/out issue. You can easily modify this one up or down if you choose to.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Denise Austin: 3-Week Boot Camp Review


Denise Austin: 3-Week Boot Camp
Denise Austin, 2009

This dvd has two 20ish minute workouts and a bonus 7 minute ab workout. Denise works out with 4 young female background exercisers in an open room with hardwood floors and gray pillars on a purple background.


The first workout "Cardio & Strength Intervals" Is just that-short cardio intervals interspersed with short toning intervals. During the cardio work she does level one (easiest), level 2, then level 3 (most challenging) progressively so you can choose which level is right for you and stick with it to make your workout more or less challenging. The cardio includes: cross country skiing, mock jumproping, high knees, etc. The strength work is fairly straight forward and includes lat rows, a bicep - side lift combo, pushups, sip & twist combo, planks w/ twist, etc. She only uses 1 set of dumbbells but I used multiple depending on which move I was doing. The bicep-side lift move was not ideal because I can use a much heavier weight for biceps than the side raise. She does keep the feet moving during the strength work so you can keep your heartrate up a bit. The workout is 18 minutes plus a 2 minute cooldown. I would rate this portion as low intermediate done as is.


The second workout is "Athletic Training" and features kettlebell inspired moves like a one arm swing into a high pull, windmill, swing. She does some moves that are not necessarily kettlebell inspired (I dont use kettlebells so Im not sure) pliets, a kick series holding a dumbbell, a 1-legged deadlift series, spider pushups, V sit ab work, a kayak type core move, lower back spinal work, etc. You hold onto your dumbell or kettlebell for the majority of the workout. The body of the workout is 20 minutes with a 2 minute cooldown. While this portion has no cardio only moves-it definately kept my heartrate up. I used varying sets of dumbbells on this one too. I would rate this portion as high intermediate and again, its easy to modify up or down.


"Ab Fat Blaster" is the bonus 7 minute ab workout. She uses dumbbells for some of the moves and its not your usual ab routine. She does a turkish getup variation and some plank work. I enjoyed this section and would rate it a solid intermediate.


Denise is Denise-I dont expect an advanced workout from her. Nor do I expect stellar cueing from her, but surprisingly her cueing was very good in the workout.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

FitPrime G-Force Review


Tracie Long, 2004

This is a 53 minute rebounding + weights + yoga dvd. Tracie is working out alone on a small set that has a mirror and some art in the background-very Firm mansion set. Tracie is, as always, an excellent lead. Cueing is spot on and her form is always impeccable. She has great rebounding form tips throughout as well. The dvd is chartered very well so you can skip segments (all the strength or cardio segments for example) by pushing "next" on your remote. You will need a rebounder, a pair of weighted gloves, and various dumbbells for this workout.


This dvd is interval style-you do a cardio rebounding circuit and then step off the trampoline and do a set of strength work. After 3 cardio sets, and 3 strength sets you do some yoga-esque ab work on the rebounder and then move into a cooldown stretch.


I usually skip the strength work in this dvd and just do the cardio because there really isn't enough strength work to count for much IMO. The work includes: lat row, bicep curls, lunges w/ one foot on the rebounder, ab work, push ups, tri dips, etc. A little of a lot of things really.

The rebounding is pretty straight forward: health bounce, jogging, some tuck jumps, high knees, shuffles, a unique hop scotch move (actually took me a few times through to get this one but I am choreo challenged), jumping jacks, and the likes.


The at-home-workout-world is really lacking rebounding w/o's IMO so I consider this a must have for rebounders! I would rate this a high intermediate workout with the caveat that you can make it as easy or as hard as you want depending on how you bounce. Rebounding can really be a great challenging cardio w/o or it can be an easy playtime-you decide :) Adding bigger arm movements, wearing weighted gloves, and always giving it my all (adding more tuck jumps, etc) I was DRIPPING with sweat this morning after doing it!


The cardio only parts are about 35 minutes. I repeated the last hop scotch/tuck jump combo to get in 40 min of cardio.

Monday, March 8, 2010

REVIEW: Shape Up With Sharon: Circuit Training


Shape Up With Sharon: Circuit Training
Sharon Mann, 2002 

This is a 40 minute interval workout taken from Sharon's TV show. There are 4 background exercisers, each working out on their own little raised platform. Two show beginner modificaitons, 2 show advanced mods, and Sharon usually does intermediate versions of the exercises. I used this dvd as a lower body workout because it seems to focus on lower body.

She goes right into a set of weighted squats and lunges that will really work your lower body! I didnt even use my heavy weights and think I will feel this tomorrow. She focuses on functional movement in this workout and it does have a somewhat functional feel to it.


After that first set of lower body work she goes into some high intensity interval training. I really get my heartrate up in this section if I give it my all. She does some high intensity moves and then gives you some time to get your heartrate back down before moving on to another set of high intensity (tough) cardio work.


After the cardio segment you go into some more strength moves, some on the floor and some standing. Since I used this as a lower body workout I used very light weights for the short amount of upper body work, then added dumbbells for the unweighted lunge segment towards the end. She includes some bicep work, side plank variations, squats, military press w/ lunges, rotator cuff work, some pushups, and some V sits, and other ab work.


After about 36 minutes she starts a cooldown stretch. I would rate this a low advanced workout because of the beginning cardio segment. The strength work is not is not killer but effective IMO. The side plank section is also quite tough. Sharon cues well and has a nice upbeat personality.


I like this workout and for me, finding its place (a lower body workout) will make it more usable to me. Trying to use it as a total body strength w/o didnt work and its long enough that I cant add on enough other to make that work either. I add some additional lower body and ab work to fill my hour slot and this makes a great lower body + cardio workout.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Karen Voight's Pilates Total Body Training Review


Karen Voight's Pilates Total Body Training
Karen Voight, 2000

This dvd was previously released as "Body Reform Total Body." The dvd has two 50 min workouts on it. The total body is mostly inner thigh and ab work, some leg/bun work, and 2 sets of pushups and uses the pilates magic circle. The second workout-abs & back is more pilates/ yoga/ stretch and does feature some ab and back work. Karen works out in a nice open space with one other exerciser. This is all floor work and is done w/out shoes.


I really like the "total body" workout on this dvd because it really fries my inner thighs unlike any other workout Ive ever done. Karen has a nice calm demeanor and cues really well and has nice form pointers and reminders throughout the workout. The ab work is intermixed in with the inner thigh work and is also very thourough. After a long inner thigh/ ab segment you do some bun/ leg work and then more inner thigh work, a few sets of pushups and the cool it down with nice stretch.


I actually have never even done the second w/o "abs & back" I did however preview it this morning to do this review. It is more of a pilates/ yoga/ and stretch dvd. There are some ab & back-centric moves but it seems more like a nice stretch/ yoga workout. She does some cat stretches and such.


I would rate the "total body" a high intermediate workout because it really works the core and inner thighs nonstop! I cant imagine someone w/ little inner thigh or core strength being able to finish this dvd or being able to walk the next day if they did! Its a great addition to my workout collection and I would def recommend it to anyone that wants to focus on their inner thighs!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Results Fitness - 10 Days To A Better Body Review



Results Fitness - 10 Days To A Better Body
Cindy Whitmarsh, 2008

This dvd has a 35 minute lower body workout and a 35 minute upper body workout. Each workout alternates one minute of cardio and one minute of LB or UB strength work. For the LB you need one set of "heavy" dumbbells and maybe a mat.

For the UB Cindy uses 2 sets of dumbbells: lighter and heavier. I used 3 sets: 8, 10, & 15 #db's. She starts each cardio move with a lowimpact/ beginner modification of and then moves into the advanced move. So once familiar w/ the moves you could do the advanced from the get-go.
Cindy is working out alone in a nice set-hard wood floors with some fitness props in the background. Cindy is a great cuer but none of the moves are dancy or complicated. This workout def has an athletic feel-which I prefer.

She goes right from one minute into the next exercise so there is no resting or wasted time. She really makes the most of the 30ish minutes. With that said I was left wanting more (but I usually work out for 60 min so...)

LB: I used my 15# dumbbells and felt I couldnt have gone heavier due to the pace. She isnt "fast" but too quick to really heavy up IMO. You could easily go heavier and skip some reps if you wanted to. She includes some ab moves at the end that I found effective.

Some of the moves were unique and effective, always a nice bonus. Some examples are: cutsey dips, lunge variations, squat variations, deadlift variations, hopping on leg, jumping back and forth over your dubbells, plank-knee pulls (kind of like Mt climbers), burpees (blowouts), punches while holding the dumbbells to work your abs, clamshell crunches while holding a dumbbell, etc.

UB: She does some unique and fun moves, including many compound moves. Bicep-overhead press, plank while doing rows, bicep-rotator cuff, jacks, cross country ski jumps, mt. climbers, and the like. She also does some ab work at the end. I felt like the UB strength work was sligthly slower paced than the LB so I think you can go a bit heavier.

I agree w/ Collages rating of intermediate/ advanced. Some may disagree. Its def not a hardcore, puke in the bucket w/o. But I was worked out well for 15 min of cardio and 15 min of strength. I did, however, tack on another dvd to fill my time slot for the day.

Instructor Comments: Cindy is pleasant and knowledgable about health, fitness, and nutrition IMO. She is a good cuer and is helpful with form pointers throughout the workout.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Denise Austin - Hit the Spot: Core Complete Review


Denise Austin - Hit the Spot: Core Complete
Denise Austin, 2006

This is a unique core + targeted toning workout done on a stability ball. You will need various dumbbells and a stability ball for this workout. Denise works out in a nice open hardwood & window type room with a few background exercisers. The total running time on the dvd is 70 minutes but the 19 minute core complete challenge is a premix from the other sections. The dvd is customizable so you can mix and match.


There are 5 separate segments on this dvd: warmup, core & upper body, core & legs, core & buns, and core complete challenge. Each section contains core work and body part specific strength moves using the ball. There are also some moves on the floor and a bit of cardio interspersed in some segments. Each segment has a brief brief stretch/cooldown (2 min or so).
Warmup: 5 minutes


Upper body & core: 15 min, chest work on the ball using dumbbells, shoulder work, biceps and core work


Legs & core: 15 min, quad work-leg extensions while sitting on the ball, hip lifts, etc. and core work.


Buns & core: 15 min, curtsy dips with dumbbells, donkey kicks, etc. and core work.
Core Complete Challenge: 19 min, and uses a few minutes from each of the UB, LB, and buns segments.


I like this workout though its not real challenging. I like it because I think the format is unique and I don't have a lot of ball workouts. I also like that she separates body parts so you can easily use the sections as an add ons to other split workouts or you can do the entire workout for a full body workout w/ a core emphasis.


I would rate this low intermediate. Denise is toned down but is still Denise. I didn't notice any bad cueing but the moves are not hard to pick up on.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

The FIRM: Jiggle Free Arms Review

The FIRM: Jiggle Free Arms
Stephanie Huckabee, 2014

This is a 30 minute cardio + upper body strength work dvd. Stephanie leads with 4 background exercisers, Alison shows the beginner modificaitons. This workout was released as a BSS4 (TransFirmer) add on and features the TransFirmer (TF) . You will also need a variety of dumbbells. The set is nice and open and a bright grayish white.


Let me start off by saying I LOVE LOVE LOVE this workout! It is probably my all time favorite workout dvd ever made. I am very fond of all the BSS4 TransFirmer workouts though and I like Stephanie. She is an excellent lead, her demeanor is awesome and her cueing is spot on. She is very fit and motivating! The workout has NO dread factor but is fun and you will get a great workout with it to.


This workout features step, incline step, and floor aerobics interspersed with upper body strength work. The strength work includes: pushups off the TF, pec fly (using the incline as a bench) bench press, tricep bench press, bicep curls, clean and press, shoulder raises, tricep dips off the TF, and other upper body work at varied tempos. The time flys with this one and you will thouroughly work all your upper body muscles and work up a very nice sweat all in only 30 minutes.


This workout is great to add to other cardio + upper body workouts (Jackies 1 on 1, Results 10 Days, Barrys Bootcamp Fat Blaster, etc) or to add to Jiggle Free Buns for a complete strength + cardio workout.